Potty parity in Bears' new digs

August 28, 2003|By Chicago Tribune.

The newly renovated Soldier Field has a sense of intimacy that provides a good view from almost any of the 61,500 seats. It has twice as many concession stands, wider seats, 1.25 million watts of lighting and two video monitors as big as any in the NFL.

But after a few beers in the cold, what will matter is this: The new home of the Chicago Bears has more than twice as many toilets as the 1924 version of the stadium. Both men and women will find significant improvements.

For women, the new stadium will offer a 4-1 ratio of porcelain--that's four stalls for every men's toilet, not counting urinals.

City officials say the $632 million renovation is the first large-scale public works project to be affected by a 2001 ordinance, which requires more women's toilets at new or substantially rehabilitated arenas, large restaurants, nightclubs, theaters, malls and other public places of assembly.

There's good news for shy men too: no troughs. City code prohibits them in new construction, so the new stadium has separate urinals--in some cases 24 per restroom.

Overall, city officials say the new stadium, set to open Sept. 29, has 317 men's urinals, 100 men's toilets, 429 women's toilets and 18 family-friendly toilets.

Bears officials say the extra toilets should go a long way toward eliminating the long lines outside portable toilets, as well as the public urination along the Metra tracks, in parking lots and next to bushes near the old stadium.

Even the parking garage at the new stadium has bathrooms, which should help reduce some outdoor tinkling by tailgaters. "It was amazing how many people were using our landscape around the building," Jeff Morander, director of stadium sales and services for the Bears, said.

City parks officials say they don't know exactly how many toilets the old stadium had, but they're confident the new place has between twice and three times as many. "They had troughs, so it was hard to count," Park District Superintendent David Doig said.

When the so-called potty parity ordinance was passed in 2001, it drew national attention. A spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Construction and Permits said the ordinance requires roughly two women's toilets for every men's toilet.

But there is much more to the new stadium than added toilets.

A southern entrance will include a solemn memorial space dedicated to veterans and those killed in war.

Inside the stadium, which has a few fewer seats than the old stadium, visitors will find a gradually sloping bowl of seating and a sound system that includes 640 speakers.

There are 133 wood-lined corporate suites, each with three TV sets, full-size refrigerators and private bathrooms. Bears officials say that all but two have been leased, ranging in price from $70,000 to $300,000 a season.

City officials said Wednesday they plan to hold a "re-dedication" ceremony for the stadium Sept. 27. Tickets for the free event, which will help vendors work out any last-minute bugs, are available from Chicago Park District fieldhouses.

Season ticket-holders and suite patrons will be invited to the stadium earlier in the day for a "meet your seat" event designed to give fans some familiarity with the stadium before the opening Monday night game.